White House Correspondents Insider

Behind the scenes of the most powerful city in the world — Washington, D.C. — and those who cover it.

May is Military Appreciation Month at Dog Tag Bakery

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We were honored to highlight the work of Dog Tag Bakery at the 2022 White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch, and May is Military Appreciation Month at Dog Tag. To express their gratitude for those who have served our country, Dog Tag is calling on you to nominate your loved ones who are connected to the military by highlighting their service and telling their stories, including active-duty service members, veterans, spouses, children, and caregivers.

Dog Tag will select 3 winners at the end of the month to receive their very own tag in Dog Tag Bakery’s dog tag chandelier, composed of over 3,500 dog tags. Winners will receive a dog tag copy to keep at home, as well as a gift box full of bakery goodies! Submit your nominations here.

Photo Credit: Dog Tag Bakery, Inc.

But anyone can add their loved ones’ names to the chandelier, which includes a custom inscription for a military member (active duty, veteran, spouse, child, or caregiver). The dog tags hang permanently in the chandelier, with a duplicate dog tag mailed to the recipient. To participate, click here to donate!

Photo Credit: DoD Marvin D. Lynchard GS-09

All donations made throughout Military Appreciation Month support Dog Tag’s innovative and impactful fellowship programming. Gifts of all sizes will make a difference!

Thank you, Dog Tag Bakery, for your service to our veterans.

Ken Burns’ The Vietnam War Premieres at the Kennedy Center

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Photo courtesy Politico.

Tuesday evening, celebrities and veterans alike gathered at the Kennedy Center to view legendary documentarian Ken Burns’ newest masterpiece, “The Vietnam War.”  This latest offering, sponsored with generous support from Bank of America, displays the southeastern Asian conflict in a comprehensive fashion, covering the war and societal tensions from numerous viewpoints both on the battlefield and back home.

Guests were treated to a sneak-peek screening that drew from throughout the series’ 18 hours. Chart-topping Denver-based band The Lumineers also took the stage to perform a song they wrote for the film.

The project was ten years in the making and will surely be a gigantic smash when the first installment premieres Sunday, September 17th at 8PM EST on PBS.  The series will be aired on the network in 10 weekly installments.

Culminating the evening, Burns and co-director Lynn Novick took to the stage in a question-and-answer session along three notable Vietnam veterans — John McCain, John Kerry and Chuck Hagel.  The panel was moderated by ABC News chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz.

Arizona Senator McCain highlighted the importance of remembering the impact of the conflict in today’s global climate.

“It’s the right time, particularly since we are in such turmoil in the world today,” said Senator McCain.  “These young men died because of inadequate or corrupt leadership.  We must have leaders who can lead and be able to give them a path to victory so we will not sacrifice them, ever again, to a lost cause.”

McCain spent more than five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, after being shot down while flying navy ground-attack aircraft over Hanoi in October 1967.

Former defense secretary and senator from Nebraska, Hagel agreed on the importance of both the documentary and the lessons it teaches.

“Yes, it’s difficult to see this, but it’s important for our next set of leaders to understand the consequences of war and the consequences of decisions that we never get all right,” Hagel told the audience.  What also came out of Vietnam was the first real questioning of our government, a questioning of our leaders and a demand for accountable government, honest leadership.”

Hagel received two Purple Hearts while an infantry squad leader in the War.

Former Secretary of State and Massachusetts senator Kerry pointed out the importance of diplomacy and honesty in crisis events.

“Knowing what we’re doing, being honest with our people, making war a last resort, exhausting diplomacy,” said Kerry.  “These are all relevant to every choice we face.”

Kerry was awarded combat medals including the Silver Star Medial, Bronze Star Medal and three Purple Heart Medals for his service in the Naval Reserves serving four months in South Vietnam.

Longtime Ken Burns supporters Bank of America sponsored the film and premiere event. Burns gave a shout out to longtime friend Anne Finucane, Bank of America’s Vice Chairman.

ABOUT THE FILM

Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s ten-part, 18-hour documentary series, THE VIETNAM WAR, tells the epic story of one of the most consequential, divisive, and controversial events in American history as it has never before been told on film. Visceral and immersive, the series explores the human dimensions of the war through revelatory testimony of nearly 80 witnesses from all sides—Americans who fought in the war and others who opposed it, as well as combatants and civilians from North and South Vietnam.

Ten years in the making, the series includes rarely seen and digitally re-mastered archival footage from sources around the globe, photographs taken by some of the most celebrated photojournalists of the 20th Century, historic television broadcasts, evocative home movies, and secret audio recordings from inside the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon administrations. THE VIETNAM WAR features more than 100 iconic musical recordings from greatest artists of the era and haunting original music from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross as well as the Silk Road Ensemble featuring Yo-Yo Ma.

Juleanna Glover: How Trump Can Win in the Middle East

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Christopher Reiter, Juleanna Glover and Sally Quinn. Photo courtesy Haddad Media.

Notable corporate public affairs consultant and former VP Cheney adviser Juleanna Glover writes in Politico Magazine that even as the Trump administration focuses attention on several international threats, “it is poised to blow a rare opportunity in the Middle East.”

“With some smart statecraft over the next month, the United States could at once isolate an adversary, solidify a long-standing alliance and begin to usher a new, friendly democracy into a historically fractious region. Instead, Washington is stubbornly sticking to a years-old policy, even though it has already been made obsolete by events on the ground,” Glover warns.

The regional government of Kurdistan (KRG) will hold a referendum on independence from Iraq September 25th.  While the Kurds are noted as strong U.S. allies — including supporting American efforts in Iraq even back in 1990 — the United States government has been unenthusiastic regarding this current bid for independence.

The reasoning by to the State Department, Glover points out, is “a worn-out phrase: ‘support [for] a unified, stable, democratic, and a federal Iraq.’”  Put another way, the U.S. position is that the Kurdish referendum is an internal Iraqi situation, not one needing to be addressed by the Trump administration.

Glover concludes that now is the time for the United States to support an emerging and unshakably U.S.-allied nation in the Middle East.  “The question is whether it will act to support the KRG—or watch as the Revolutionary Guards subsume the Kurds along with the rest of Iraq.”

You can read Glover’s entire column at Politico Magazine here:  http://politi.co/2wULv9H

WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS WEEKEND ANNUAL GARDEN BRUNCH

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Photo courtesy Haddad Media.

For those who missed the action this weekend, please take a look and get involved in one of the three important organizations.

Democracy Fund is a bipartisan nonprofit that invests in organizations working to ensure our political system delivers on its promise to the American people. Founded
by eBay creator Pierre Omidyar, Democracy Fund has already invested more than $50 million and is now stepping up in a big way to support a robust, free press. Democracy Fund and its partners at First Look Media announced $12 million in grants to support press freedom.

Find a way to participate:
http://www.democracyfund.org/

NS2 Serves is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization run by Mark Testoni, the President of SAP National Security Services, Inc. SAP NS2® to give back
to the community SAP serves by training and employing veterans in high-tech careers. As its signature initiative, NS2 Serves offers training and employment assistance to recent veterans of U.S. national security missions. The course is open to post-9/11 U.S. military service veterans and reservists (including disabled veterans) and Gold Star spouses. Full-time, paid participants are trained in world-class software solutions that support U.S. national security, leading to official SAP certifications, which are valuable in many career paths in the U.S. and worldwide.

Please pass this information onto veterans.
http://www.ns2serves.org/about/

Dog Tag Inc. Our friend Connie Milstein created Dog Tag Bakery to provide opportunities for veterans with disabilities, spouses, and caregivers by offering an education
through Georgetown University’s School of Continuing studies and experiential learning in our small business venture at Dog Tag Bakery in Georgetown at 3206 Grace Street NW. Please visit! Upon completion of the Dog Tag Inc. (DTI) program, transitioning veterans are business ready, competitive, and employable. Come and join us for tasty treats, or purchase a dog tag to honor the service of a family member or friend.

To donate, use this link:
http://www.dogtaginc.org/make-a-donation/

But, now we are hoping you will open your wallets, engage your business partners or reach out to your friends at educational institutions to spread the word.

The White House Correspondents weekend is an important weekend but you can make the good feeling last by participating.

You can watch highlights from the 2017 Garden Brunch here:

Thanks again to Connie Milstein who opened her home to us.

President George Washington appears at White House Correspondents’ Annual Garden Brunch

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Ian Kahn, who plays President George Washington, gave an impassioned speech celebrating a free press and the First Amendment at this year’s White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch. Kahn presented Sergeant Major Sedrick Banks (Ret.), with a Visionary Award for his successes after recovering from severe combat injuries to owning his own small business. Banks was one of the first alums of veteran leadership initiative Dog Tag Bakery.

Kahn also said of the White House press corps and journalists who speak truth to power, “You are the front, you are fighting for liberty and for our freedoms. I think every day, ‘What would George Washington do?’ I think he would thank you. He would ask you to fight for your country.”

Kahn also appears in this season’s Billions series on Showtime.

For more photos from the 2017 #gardenbrunch click here.

Dog Tag Bakery Alum Sedrick Banks Receives Visionary Award at White House Correspondents Garden Brunch

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Retired Sgt. Maj. Sedrick Banks speaks at the 2017 Garden Brunch. Photo courtesy Haddad Media.

The White House Correspondents Weekend is in full swing as Washington insiders and Hollywood stars gather at Connie Milstein’s Georgetown home for the annual Garden Brunch. This year’s theme is supporting two pillars of democracy: veterans and their families, and a free and fair press. That’s why the hosts have awarded U.S. Army Sergeant Major Sedrick A. Banks (Retired), a Dog Tag Bakery fellow the Visionary Award for overcoming his combat injuries and creating a successful small business.

Mark Testoni talks hiring veterans with NS2 Serves at the 2017 Garden Brunch. Photo courtesy Haddad Media.

Mark Testoni, President of SAP National Security Services (NS2). Testoni founded NS2 Serves, a nonprofit that trains and employs veterans in high-tech careers and Ian Kahn who plays George Washington presented him with the award.

According to Testoni, “U.S. Army Sergeant Major Sedrick Banks embodies perseverance.  In 2010, Sergeant Major Banks survived a mortar attack while deployed in Iraq. Like so many, he was left with both visible and invisible wounds. Defying the odds, he joined Dog Tag Inc’s program in 2014 in the hopes of turning his entrepreneurial dreams into reality. Sergeant Major Banks launched the Genuine Life Institute – a motivational coaching program.”

Former House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Rogers Launches Web Series “World War E”

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Kristi Clemens Rogers, Mike Rogers at 2016 White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch. Photo courtesy of Haddad Media.

Former Congressman Mike Rogers, a world-renown cyber-security expert and former chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, announced he will be hosting a new on-demand digital series highlighting the rapidly growing worldwide cyber threat, titled “World War E.”

This short-form digital series will be built around Rogers first-hand knowledge of the global cyber threat and the U.S. preparation and defense against attacks from individuals, foreign agents and governments, and terrorists.

Says Rogers:

“I often tell people that America is in a cyber war and I’m not sure we’re winning. It is an extremely serious issue, because it’s no longer just criminals seeking to steal your money but it is now countries who are using their militaries and intelligence services to steal your information, to ruin American companies, and to damage our critical infrastructure. This is an important topic that affects us all and it’s time that the conversation is brought directly to the American people.”

Early topics include the front lines in the battle for cyberspace, threats to infrastructure and critical American services such as health care and energy, how individuals can protect themselves from their own daily digital footprint online, and even how to prevent future attacks.

“World War E” will be hosted on NY Daily News website (http://nydn.us/WorldWarE), with the first episode, “Cyber War,” premiering Wednesday, March 15. New episodes will post Wednesdays at 11 AM EST. The show is produced by Ora TV, the on-demand digital network behind shows such as “Larry King Now.”

In addition to “World War E,” Rogers also hosts a radio show and is the host of Declassified on CNN.

Entrepreneurs and Military Families in Spotlight at Annual Garden Brunch for White House Correspondents’ Weekend

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Media notables, Hollywood stars, and leaders from the business and non-profit sectors came together on Saturday for the annual Garden Brunch in honor of White House Correspondents’ Weekend. The mission of this year’s brunch was to recognize entrepreneurs who are ‘starting out and starting up’, along with initiatives that support members of the military and their families.

Dr. Sachiko Kuno with Halcyon Incubator Cohort4: Jeffrey Prost-Greene, Eric Shih, Kathleen O'Keefe, Daniel Hill, Charlene Brown, Faran Negarestan and Kristof Grina

Dr. Sachiko Kuno with Halcyon Incubator Cohort4: Jeffrey Prost-Greene, Eric Shih, Kathleen O’Keefe, Daniel Hill, Charlene Brown, Faran Negarestan and Kristof Grina

Hilary Rosen introduces Connie Milstein and Derrick & Emma Dockery of Yellow Ribbons United

Hilary Rosen introduces Connie Milstein and Derrick & Emma Dockery of Yellow Ribbons United

The brunch raised awareness for Halcyon Incubator, an organization founded by Dr. Sachiko Kuno that supports early stage social entrepreneurs through an immersive 18-month fellowship program. As guests arrived, they were asked to share their advice for individuals who are seeking to launch a new career and change the world. The notes were shared on an interactive PPI board provided by Microsoft.

Tony Goldwyn shares advice on the Microsoft PPI

Tony Goldwyn shares advice on the Microsoft PPI

Tony Goldwyn, who plays President Fitz Grant on ABC’s Scandal, shared: “Commit 100% to your dream. That will lead you to places you can’t even imagine!”

Sheila C. Johnson introduces Dr. Sachiko Kuno

Sheila C. Johnson introduces Dr. Sachiko Kuno

Sheila C. Johnson, co-founder of BET, philanthropist and the first African American female billionaire, knows a thing or two about success. Her advice? “Be bold and be fearless!”

Arianna Huffington and Travis Kalanick

Arianna Huffington and Travis Kalanick

Arianna Huffington and Travis Kalanick, who arrived at the brunch together, are two of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs. Huffington’s tip: “Remember failure is a stepping stone to success!” And Kalanick shared insights based on his own experience of creating Uber: “You can bend reality but don’t break it!”

Cosmopolitan editor-in-chief Joanna Coles focused on practical advice: “Do not argue with your boss when u are drunk, even if u are right.” Under Armour CEO and Founder Kevin Plank also offered sound business advice with “Find out if your product can sell!!!”

Fox News Channel’s Greta Van Susteren encouraged individuals to broaden their horizons: “Travel! See the world so that you know something!” And CNN’s Wolf Blitzer gave advice that is often heard in Washington: “You may be smart, but other people may be smarter. Listen and take advantage and learn. Two heads are smarter than one.”

The focus on entrepreneurship and Halcyon Incubator was highlighted during the event as Dr. Sachiko Kuno, CEO of S&R Foundation, took the stage to talk about the work of her organization and to introduce the program’s current cohort.

This year’s Garden Brunch also raised awareness for Yellow Ribbons United and their initiative #PlayfieldInThePark, which serves approximately 500 children and teens attending the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) Good Grief Camp and Honoring Our Heroes Camp over Memorial Day Weekend. The program was created by Derrick and Emma Dockery, and has recently received the support of Constance Milstein, who was also a co-host of the Garden Brunch.

In addition to sharing their mission with brunch guests, Emma Dockery also had advice for budding entrepreneurs: “Never give up, for every no you may receive there is someone who will say yes!”

Neve Campbell, Derrick Dockery, Emma Dockery, Tammy Haddad

Neve Campbell, Derrick Dockery, Emma Dockery, Tammy Haddad

Additional guests from the entertainment industry included Bryan Cranston of HBO’s All the Way, Director Jay Roach, Oscar winning actress Helen Mirren, House of Cards’ Neve Campbell, Daredevil’s Rosario Dawson, Lisa Edelstein from Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce, Constance Zimmer of UnREAL, The Creative Coalition CEO Robin Bronk, Blindspot’s Jaimie Alexander, House of Cards’ Michael Kelly, actress Sela Ward, Blue Bloods’ Bridget Moynahan, Concussion’s Gugu Mbatha-Raw, model Anne V, Independence Day’s Jeff Goldblum, Valeri and Candace Cameron Bure, Omarosa, Eric Podwall, Dule Hill, Matthew Morrison, HBO’s Len Amato, Scandal’s Scott Foley, and model Daniela Lopez.

Media in attendance included Charlie Rose, Jim Bankoff, Kevin Merida and Marie Donoghue from ESPN, Gayle King, Wolf Blitzer, Laura Ingraham, Bret and Amy Baier, Brian and Jamie Stelter, Betsy Fischer-Martin, Stephanie Ruhle, Joy Behar, and April Ryan. Tech was also represented by Josh Ginsberg, CEO of Zignal Labs, Erin Egan of Facebook, Snap Chat’s Nick Bell and Instagram’s Charlton Golson, John Tass-Parker and Charles Porch.

From the world of government and politics, guests included Valerie Jarrett, Tina Tchen, SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, Heather Podesta, Tony Podesta, Jeremy Bernard, Megan Smith, Robert and Capricia Marshall, Heather Rothenberg and Ellie Schafer, Representative Joaquin Castro, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Dr. and Mrs. Anthony Fauci of NIH, World Bank President Jim Kim, Mike and Kristi Rogers, Ben Ginsberg, and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter.

The crowd was kept up-to-the moment on the presidential election with Zignal Labs‘ realtime analytics.

zignal

Dessert treats were provided by Sophie LaMontagne and Katherine Kallinis of Georgetown Cupcakes.

The 2016 Garden Brunch was held at the historic Beall-Washington House in Georgetown. The event host committee consisted of Tammy Haddad, Kevin Sheekey, Hilary Rosen, Sachiko Kuno, Fred Humphries, Mark and Sally Ein, Connie Milstein, Anita Dunn, Bill Knapp, David Adler, and Franco Nuschese.

Arsenal of Democracy Flyover

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To honor our nation’s heroes, a diverse array of World War II aircraft flew above the skies of Washington, D.C. on Friday, May 8, 2015, the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, as part of the Arsenal of Democracy World War II Victory Capitol Flyover.

via ww2flyover.org: “The flyover will include dozens of World War II aircraft flying in 15 historically sequenced warbird formations overhead. The formations will represent the War’s major battles, from Pearl Harbor through the final air assault on Japan, and concluding with a missing man formation to “Taps.” Never before has such a collection of WWII aircraft been assembled at one location, to honor the large assemblage of veterans gathered at the WWII Memorial for a ceremony.”

Grasshoppers over the @WhiteHouse for the #VEDay70 celebration. #ww2flyover #VEDay

A video posted by WHC Insider (@whcinsider) on

WHCD Garden Brunch Supports Veterans

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The 2015 Annual Garden Brunch on the morning of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner once again brought a parade of Hollywood elite and celebrities to gather and mingle before primping for the dinner, but all for a good cause. This year’s beneficiaries, Dog Tag Bakery and Blue Star Families are both groups created for the benefit of veterans and their family members. Video courtesy of Hollywood on the Potomac.